Artificial candle



March 19, 1963 F. A. ROSCOVICH ARTIFICIAL CANDLE Filed Nov. 16, 1961 INVENTOR. FRANK A. ROSCOVlCH M2 9544,.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 0 3,081,612 ARTIFICIAL CANDLE Frank A. Roscovich, Maple Shade, N.J., assignor to Harry F. Reuwick, Maple Shade, NJ. Filed Nov. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 152,742. 2 Claims. (Cl. 67-5'5) This invention relates to artificial candles and more particularly to artificial candles having flame regulating means.

Artificial candles in general include a hollow structure which externally resembles a wax candle but which holds fuel in the cavity thereof. Further, there is normally provided a wick which passes from the fuel chamber, through a wick-holder to the sharply tapered end of the candle. Recently at least one artificial candle has been provided with a flame adjuster, or adjustable snuffer, which can be moved up and down on the wick thereby providing either a greater or a smaller flame.

One of the problems that has arisen with artificial candles of the type just described is that when the wick becomes charred, it is difficult to grip the charred portion and pull up a new length of wick. Another problem that has arisen is that heretofore such artificial candles have been designed to have a removable end wall in order to enable the fuel chamber to be filled. Further such artificial candles have been expensive to fabricate because the removable end wall had to be externally threaded in order to be removable, while the internal wall of the hollow structure had to be threaded to engage the removable end wall.

F Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved artificial candle.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an artificial candle which prevents the wick from being charred to the point where it cannot be gripped.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved means for injecting fuel into the fuel chamber.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an artificial candle which is relatively inexpensive to fabricate.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an artificial candle which can be readily changed in a decorative manner.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an artificial candle which can have its flame adjusted without any discomfort or inconvenience to the user.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention r there is provided a flame adjuster element which has a central bore therein. The bore is only partially threaded along a predetermined, or selected, length. The flame adjuster is in threaded engagement with a wicloholder but since the adjuster cannot travel along the full excursion of the wick holder (it being limited by the partially threaded bore), a portion of the exposed Wick cannot be charred and hence can be gripped when necessary.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention there is provided a hole, or aperture, in the fuel chamber which is sealed by an internally disposed rubber ring. The ring however, will unseal the hole in response to the insertion of a fuel nozzle, such as found on a lighter fluid container.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention the upper wall end of the fuel chamber is a metal flanged plug which is press fitted into the tubular casing, while the lower end wall is a rubber sealing plug. A rubber washer or gasket fits between the upper edge of the tubular casing and the flange of the plug. This arrangement provides for a less expensive construction than was heretofore experienced.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention there is provided a decorative sleeve which can be readily interchanged with other decorative sleeves to accommodate a plurality of decorative schemes. The decorative sleeve further engages the flame adjuster by friction and acts as a heat sink for the heat developed at the flame adjuster, thereby enabling the user to adjust the flame without burning his fingers.

The foregoing and other objects and features of this invention will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the present artificial candle;

FIG. 2A is a sectional view of the fuel chamber aperture and seal;

FIG. 2B is a sectional view of the fuel chamber aperture with a fuel injector nozzle inserted;

FIG. 3 is a side view of an alternative lower end wall including a means for inserting fuel into the fuel chamber.

Consider now FIG. 1 wherein there is shown a tubular casing 11. The tubular casing 11 may be made of any suitable metal, such as aluminum, or plastic. In the case of plastic it must be of a type which does not react to fuel and should have a high melting point. The tubular casing 11 has an end wall 13 which seals off the lower end of the tube and makes it possible for the tube to hold fuel. In the preferred embodiment this end wa1l,13 is a heavy rubber sealing plug. It should be understood that a plastic plug could be used, again assuming a suitable plastic material is employed. By employing the rub-, ber sealing plug 13, the lower end of the tubular casing 11 (which is really the lower end of the fuel chamber) is effectively-sealed off and yet the employment of this rubber plug 13 provides for a considerable saving of money in construction. I V At the upper end of the tubular casing 11 there is a metal plug 15 which has a flange 17 and an integrally formed wick-holder 19. The metal plug 15 is press fitted into the tubular casing 11. Between the flange 17 and the edge of the casing 11 there is inserted a rubber washer 21 which seals the upper end of the fuel chamber 23. It should be understood that an annular rubber ring, or gasket might well be employed instead of the rubber washer 21.

. By providing that the plug 15 be press fitted, a second monetary saving with respect to fabrication is effected. Heretofore it was the custom to have the upper end wall removable in order that fuel could be placed in the fuel chamber. Since the present invention provides a novel means for placing fuel in the fuel chamber, the upper wall need not be removable. Hence neither the plug nor the inside wall of the casing need be threaded, and threading these last-mentioned two members was costly. Therefore it follows that the press fit plug results in a monetary saving in the construction of the candle.

As can be seen in FIGURE 1, within the fuel chamber 23 there is a rubber ring 25. Depicted in phantom behind the rubber ring 25 is an aperture 27. When fuel is to be placed in the fuel chamber 23, the fuel injector nozzle is inserted into the aperture 27 and moves the rubber ring 25 away, thereby unsealing the hole 27. This procedure can be better appreciated from FIGURES 2A and 2B.

In FIGURE 2A the casing 11 is shown with the aperture 27 therein. Sealing off this aperture 27 is the rubber ring 25. In FIGURE 2B it can be seen that when the fuel nozzle 29 is inserted into the aperture 27, the rubber ring 25 gives way and the fuel is injected. When the nozzle 29 is withdrawn the rubber ring 25 gives Way and the fuel is injected. When the nozzle 29 is withdrawn the rubber seal 25 springs back into place and seals off the hole or aperture 27. The smaller aperture 26 can be opened with a small stick, such as a toothpick, toprovide an air escape which speeds up the fuel injection process, although the fuel can be injected without the aperture 26;

Returning now to FIGURE 1, it can be seen that the flame adjuster 3 1 is in threaded engagement with the Wickholder 19. In FIGURE 1 the flame adjuster 31 is turned down as far as it can be, due to the partial threading thereof, thereby exposing as great a portion of the wick tip 33 as is desirable. Obviously if the wick 35 were pulled up toward the adjuster 31, a greater wick tip 33 could be exposed. It should be understood that the greater the wick tip 33 the higher or greater is the flame. When the adjuster 31 is screwed toward the top of the wick the flame diminishes and can be snuffed out eventually.

It is of special interest to note that the flame will burn no lower than the lip 37 or the edge of the adjuster 31. Hence even when the adjuster 31 is fully turned down (as shown in FIGURE 1) that portion 39 of the wick between the lip 37 and the wick-holder 19 will not be subjected to a flame and therefore will not char. The adjuster 31 cannot be turned down any lower since the bore therein is only partially threaded as can be seen in FIG- URE 1. It becomes clear then that since the wick 35 does not char in the region 39, if a fresh section of Wick is desirable, the wick can easily be pulled up since it can be gripped at the uncharred portion 39. In the preferred embodiment the uncharred portion 39 is approximately 4 of an inch long. In order to effect this wick adjustment, the adjuster 31 needs to be removed and this is accomplished by unscrewing the adjuster 31 toward the top The decorative sleeve 41 is friction coupled to the adjuster 31 so that the user of the candle need only rotate the sleeve 41 to effect a flame adjustment. The wick 35 is a customary cotton wick. The decorative sleeve 41 provides heat conduction along its full length, but this heat is insulated from the fuel chamber 23 by the air space 43.

FIGURE 3 depicts an alternative end wall 13a. The alternative end wall 13a can be made of either rubber or plastic. The end wall 13a is made up of two sections 45 and 47. The upper section 47 is held firm while the lower section 45 can be rotated until the hole 49 lines up with the hole 51 and the hole 53 lines up with the hole 55. The candle can be turned upside down and the fuel can nozzle inserted through the holes 49' and 51 to fill the fuel chamber 23. The holes 53 and 55 when lined up provide the air escape.

While I have described above the principles of my invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by Way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of my invention as set forth in the objects thereof and in the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. An artificial candle comprising: a tubular casing having a removable lower end wall; a plug having an externally threaded Wick holder formed integrally with the top thereof, said plug and said wick holder having a continuing central bore therethrough, said plug inserted intc the top of said tubular casing thereby enabling its bottom surface to form the upper end inside wall of said tubular casing; a flame adjuster having a bore therein with threaded and unthreaded lengths, said flame adjuster being in threaded engagement with said wick holder; a wick being passed from the inside of said tubular casing, through the continuing bore in said plug and said wick holder, and through the bore of said flame adjuster; said unthreaded length of the bore of said flame adjuster preventing a predetermined length of said wick immediately adjacent to and extending from said wick holder, from being exposed beyond the upper end of said flame adjuster; and a removable decorative sleeve being fitted over the length of said tubular casing and being in friction engagement with said flame adjuster so that when said removable decorative sleeve is rotated there results an adjustment of said flame adjuster.

2. An artificial candle comprising: a tubular casing having a removable lower end wall; a plug having an externally threaded wick holder formed integrally with the top thereof, said plug and said Wick holder having a continuing central bore therethrough, said plug being disposed into the top of said tubular casing such that its bottom surface forms the upper end inside wall of said tubular casing; a flame adjuster having a threaded bore therein and being in threaded engagement with said wick holder, said flame adjuster being formed so that its entire bore does not come into threaded engagement with said Wick holder; a wick being passed from the inside of said tubular casing, through the continuing bore in said plug and said wick holder, and through the bore of said flame adjuster; said flame adjuster in conjunction with said wick holder preventing a predetermined length of said wick immediately adjacent to and extending from said wick holder, from being exposed beyond the upper end of said flame adjuster; and a removable decorative sleeve being fitted over the length of said tubular casing and being in friction engagement with said flame adjuster so that when said removable decorative sleeve is rotated there results an adjustment of said flame adjuster.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 112,206 Barron Feb. 28, 1871 176,320 Kowalski Apr. 18, 1876 295,332 Baumeister Mar. 18, 1884 702,055 Gilleran June 10, 1902 1,583,798 Rosenberg May 11, 1926 2,436,995 Hamilton Mar. 2, 1948 2,512,885 Archambeau June 27, 1950 2,818,717 Morris Jan. 7, 1958 2,943,771 Driscoll July 5, 1960 2,984,093 Goddard et a1 May 16-, 1961 3,036,452 Renwick et a1. May 29, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 620,537 France Jan. 22, 1927 9,370 Great Britain 1887 

1. AN ARTIFICIAL CANDLE COMPRISING: A TUBULAR CASING HAVING A REMOVABLE LOWER END WALL; A PLUG HAVING AN EXTERNALLY THREADED WICK HOLDER FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH THE TOP THEREOF, SAID PLUG AND SAID WICK HOLDER HAVING A CONTINUING CENTRAL BORE THERETHROUGH, SAID PLUG INSERTED INTO THE TOP OF SAID TUBULAR CASING THEREBY ENABLING ITS BOTTOM SURFACE TO FORM THE UPPER END INSIDE WALL OF SAID TUBULAR CASING; A FLAME ADJUSTER HAVING A BORE THEREIN WITH THREADED AND UNTHREADED LENGTHS, SAID FLAME ADJUSTER BEING IN THREADED ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID WICK HOLDER; A WICK BEING PASSED FROM THE INSIDE OF SAID TUBULAR CASING, THROUGH THE CONTINUING BORE IN SAID PLUG AND SAID WICK HOLDER, AND THROUGH THE BORE OF SAID FLAME ADJUSTER; SAID UNTHREADED LENGTH OF THE BORE OF SAID FLAME ADJUSTER PREVENTING A PREDETERMINED LENGTH OF SAID WICK IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO AND EXTENDING FROM SAID WICK HOLDER, FROM BEING EXPOSED BEYOND THE UPPER END OF SAID FLAME ADJUSTER; AND A REMOVABLE DECORATIVE SLEEVE BEING FITTED OVER THE LENGTH OF SAID TUBULAR CASING AND BEING IN FRICTION ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FLAME ADJUSTER SO THAT WHEN SAID REMOVABLE DECORATIVE SLEEVE IS ROTATED THERE RESULTS AN ADJUSTMENT OF SAID FLAME ADJUSTER. 